In the present note we intröduce and investigate certain sequences of discrete positive linear operators and Boolean sum modifications of them. The mappings considered are obtained by discretizing a class of transformed convolution-type operators using Gaussian quadrature of appropriate order. For our operators and their modifications we prove pointwise Jackson-type theorems involving the first and second order moduli of smoothness, thus providing new and elegant proofs of earlier results by Timan, Telyakowskii, Gopengauz and DeVore. Due to their discrete structure, optimal order of approximation and ease of computation, the operators appear to be useful for numerical approximation. In an intermediate step we solve an old problem in Approximation Theory; its importance was only recently emphasized in a paper of Butzer.